Recovery and Respect
by Evo10Mr
Summary: Weiss learns to stand up to her father and she helps Yang through her depression and PTSD. Yang begins her fiery rebirth to become stronger in the end This is my first fanfic. Rated M for vulgar language.
1. Chapter 1

The Road to Recovery

Takes place after events of v3 e12 in Atlas.

Weiss stood in front of the full-length mirror. " _Is this really my life from now on, company parties and running the company after father retires_ she thought as she got dressed to head downstairs to the ritzy event. When she reached the small party hall she immediately started assessing the situation. Figuring out how long she would have to stay for to talk to the seventy or so guests make a good impression for the company. " _She hated all the money here all the old money men and women alike buying extra years with greed most have never seen real combat never had their life on the line never lost anything,"_ Weiss fumed internally _._ She talked and went through all the motions with the guests. Like a magnet, she slowly migrated over to the military guests. At least, they were a bit younger and easier to talk to. Ever since Winter left and their father disowned her Weiss had viewed all members of the military in the highest respect. She saw General Ironwood arrive just as the party was winding down, once he made eye contact with her he made a beeline right for her.

"Miss Schnee," he greeted her in his usual commanding tone.

"Hello sir," she responded. "Is there any news from Vale, of my friends uh I mean teammates," She asked with a hint of gleefulness.

"That is exactly why I am here to talk to you. Yang Xiao Long is leaving your sisters airship at this precise moment. I have convinced her along with her father to have a cybernetic prosthetic grafted onto her injured arm. She agreed but only if she could see you first thing tomorrow morning," He briefed her.

With a muffled tone of excitement, she responded, "of course general it would be the least I could do".

With that note, the party was officially done and Weiss left the hall to retire to her bedroom. She started going over in her head what to say to Yang and why of all people did she want to see Weiss. They had never gotten along that well Yang always teased Weiss. At least, it was the weekend and she would not need approval from father to go out. He was so controlling. "B _anned from combat for life,"_ the words rang out in her head. Weiss had been spending all her alone time on the weekends to practice her semblance and combat in secret. In the two months she had been home she had managed to summon and control a Beowulf, holding it under her control for several minutes.

She lay in her bed staring at the ceiling fan thinking of what to say to Yang. How to comfort someone that has gone through that kind of loss. She eventually fell asleep but awoke as soon as six in the morning rolled around. Even without an alarm she awoke at the same time almost every day, It always bothered her teammates back at Beacon. Ruby was quick to pick up on the habit, Blake and Yang however always hated it they stayed in bed for as long as possible. She Remembered Beacon so well it was truly the first time in her life that she was really genuinely happy. Now life was just a boring trudge through corporate meeting after business deal. She decided to wear her combat skirt, light jacket, and high heel boots it's what she always wore at beacon while fighting plus it was Weiss's favorite outfit. She headed out and left the house. Deciding to walk to the military hospital where yang would be. It was winter in atlas so the sun had not even come up yet. The kingdom only had a few hours of sunlight a day in the winter. The cold did not bother Weiss she was used to it. She actually liked it along with her aura surrounding her she was perfectly warm.

She walked through the entryway to the hospital and located the front desk. Approaching the receptionist she asked her for the room number of Yang Xiao Long. Three zero nine the middle-aged women told her. Weiss thanked her and found the elevator at the end of a white hallway. She took it up to the third floor scanning the doors down the long hallway she found three zero nine. She knocked on the closed door but there was no answer. She knocked again louder this time and again no answer. " _Sleeping in again, at least yang hasn't changed in that regard,"_ she thought to herself. She slowly opened the door to see an older blond man sleeping in the chair that sat in the corner of the single hospital room. " _T_ _hat must be her father,"_ Weiss assumed _._ Yang was lying in bed with the blankets pulled right up to her neck so her arm could not be seen. The heat was the next thing that hit Her. Two space heaters and Yang was under 3 heavy blankets Weiss softly spoke out Hello and both Xiao long's awoke. The blond man stood up from his chair and put himself between his daughter and the white haired girl. " _Oh yeah that was her father alright,"_ Weiss reasoned

It's alright dad that's Weiss," Yang spoke groggily.

"Oh well ok then. Nice to meet you, Weiss. Yang has been excited to see you ever since we left the house yesterday morning. By the way, I'm Yang's father, but you can just call me Tai," He said.

"Dad could you leave us alone for a bit I want to talk to Weiss in private," asked Yang.

"Sure thing Honey Bear er Yang," Tai said. As he left he was already on his scroll with the doctor.

"Honey bear," Weiss said while giggling.

"Shut up ice Ice queen," Yang responded.

"So how have you been," asked Weiss?

"Well I would like to say fine, but that's just not the truth. I don't know how I'm going to go on, I feel useless and stupid. I charged in to save blake head first overcome with rage thinking I could overpower that piece of shit. Now I can't even make food for myself anymore," Yang said. Feeling the pain start in the back of her throat, this always happened when she was on the verge of crying.

"Yang it's going to be okay, as long as you're here I'll be here to support you in any way I can. Teammates should never leave each other in distress," Weiss reassured her.

Tears had started to form in Yang's lilac eyes."Tell that to Blake and Ruby," she said through soft sniffles.

"What," questioned Weiss.

"Back at Beacon during the attack...as soon as Blake and I got to the safe zone of the city she just ran, just like she always fucking does! Why why the hell would she do that, we needed each other we were partners. You just don't do that to someone, hell I wouldn't do that to anyone. Ruby...at least she told me she was leaving for Haven. She asked me if I needed her at home, she wouldn't go until spring but I just said nothing and she left. I pushed my own sister away Weiss it's just dad and me now," Yang cried.

Weiss was taken back, Yang has been hit the hardest of all during the attack. To make matters worse she seemed to be going through PTSD. Weiss had helped Winter through it after her first large-scale military operation as a commander when atlas lost good men and women to the Grimm. She placed a hand on Yang's right shoulder while sitting on the edge of the bed in an attempt to comfort her friend.

"If you want to talk just talk ok. Get it all out, you need to be strong for your operation tomorrow. The Yang i know wouldn't let anything get her down especially this," Weiss said.

Weiss comforted the sobbing Blonde the best she could. Yang felt her icy cold touch on her shoulder, it was refreshing in a way. After a couple of seconds it had snapped Yang out of her current state of mind. " _This is a completely different side of Weiss. Comforting and caring not cold and distant like she usually was,"_ Yang thought. All the feelings of anger and helplessness had been frozen in place, yang stopped replaying that night in her head. Instead, she could reflect on it with a new found perspective. She leaned against the cold girl it was oddly comforting in weird sort of way. The cold forced her to work out her problems in her head but she knew if she needed to talk she could.

Eventually, Tai came back and he had decided to take the girls out for breakfast. It would help him get a lay of the city and Yang could get adjusted to living here for a while. He had been talking to General Ironwood about the recovery process. Physical therapy and training to use her new arm in combat would take anywhere between five to eight months. He asked Weiss to leave him and his daughter alone for five minutes while he told yang how long they could be staying for. Depending on how well she took to the prosthetic. She took it very well in fact she was happy about it, Tai had not seen his daughter happy in a long time. While yang was getting dressed he thanked Weiss profusely for helping his daughter. On the way to the small restaurant that Weiss had suggested Tai and Yang were shivering even though they were wearing heavy coats. Weiss laughed at them, they looked like tourists. She explained how to use your aura for warmth and to slightly slow your breathing as she hailed a cab. Weiss paid at the restaurant, it was the least she could do given how much food yang ate, as she now had to fast until her first operation was complete.

Back at the hospital, Yang Weiss and Tai walked through the hospital gardens and chatted. Tai was embarrassing his daughter with his loving nicknames for Yang and terrible puns. Weiss got a call on her scroll during their fun. "U _gh it was her father,"_ she thought.

"Sorry I have to take this," she said. "Hello father what are you calling about," she said into the scroll.

"Weiss where are you and why have you left the house," he said in a rude tone.

"I am at the military hospital. One of my team members has come to Atlas to have surgery, I'm here with her helping her get acquainted with the city," Weiss responded.

"Well be home by One this afternoon do you understand me young lady," He bellowed over the phone, Tai and Yang hearing the whole thing.

"What was that about," said yang.

"Just my father he is very controlling since I'm his only heir," Explained Weiss

"Wow he sounds like a buzzkill," Yang said as she rolled her eyes.

Eventually, Weiss had to head home, she promised herself that she would be there tomorrow to see Yang into her operation. When she got home her father was waiting for her in the entryway, arms crossed and anger on his face. He screamed at Weiss as soon as the butler had left to hang up her coat. He berated her for seeing a teammate even after he had forbidden her from anything hunting related. Weiss never told him she had still been training in secret, trying to master her semblance. She tried to defend herself from his rage induced verbal assault. When she began to talk back he smacked her across the face. He froze dead with she didn't even flinch his hand was red and throbbing. It had been like he hit a brick wall. Weiss didn't say a thing she looked at her father with rage in her face, she had never been this mad before she finally knew what yang felt like while fighting. She formed a glyph of ice under his feet and pushed him causing him to slip and fall. She stormed off to her room as fast as possible and returned with Myrtenaster. She grabbed her father and held the razor sharp point to his neck, she felt like doing it but had decided it was best just to scare the old man.

"Never talk about my teammates or me like that again or I will take this company from you by force do you, understand me old man," Weiss screamed at him!

The man slowly began to laugh at his daughter. "Weiss you can use you your little toy and all the cheap hunter tricks you want but you do not scare me," he said.

"I don't need to scare you but I bet my friends can, "she said, as she summoned a Beowulf behind him.

The senior Schnee felt a heavy breath on the back of his neck and turned to face the large creature. He never knew what his family's hereditary semblance was, he knew nothing of hunting or the Grimm. The large creature scared him " _was this Weiss's doing no nothing but a cheap trick an illusion,"_ he reasoned. Well right up until the creature sent him flying across the room with a swipe of its heavy paw. He called out to his daughter for help as the creature ran up to him to continue its assault. Weiss did nothing she wanted to see the man squirm, for him to truly experience fear and through that learn the error of his ways. After almost an hour he had begun to tire, he couldn't run forever through his own home, from a beast that could tear him to shreds. He was gasping for air as the creature took another swipe and knocked the wind out of him. Having been cornered he did the only thing he could think of, he prayed. He prayed for his daughter to save him he prayed for someone to save him as the beast approached. All it did was pick him up and walk him back to his daughter while putting just enough pressure on the old man's ribcage to cause him pain but nothing permanent. He was thrown to the ground with a large thud by the white Grimm. He looked at his daughter with tears of fear in his eyes. He finally understood why Winter and Weiss did what they do, to help people to protect people like him. He gazed at Weiss in a way she had not seen since she was young child, and had a newfound respect for his daughter.

"Father," she addressed him.

"Weiss I'm sorry. I have treated you terribly these last few months and well I don't have an excuse for it, I just didn't want you to get hurt. You are the one that can keep me from getting hurt, you and your sister. You do this to protect people like me and if your teammate needs you then you should be there for her," He confessed to her. More proud than he had ever been in his children.

"I'm sorry I had to put you through that father. I just had to show you why I do what I do, to keep the fear you just felt at bay. Right now my teammate has that same fear in her mind, she needs support through this time in her life. I will have to be relieved of my financial training so I can be there for her," Weiss Lectured the old man.

"Of course, anything you need and When your friend is fully healed up she can stay in the guest house. You will still need at least one day a week of training there is a lot to running this company ok," he said.

"Ok father," she said.


	2. Chapter 2

The Road to Recovery

Chapter 2

The next morning Weiss was at the hospital so she could be with Yang when the doctors briefed the blond girl on how the operation would be performed and the steps they would take during the process. When Weiss got to the room Yang was awake and waiting for her doctors to arrive, the prosthetic was sitting on a table next to Yang`s bed while she and Tai examined it to the best of their abilities. Yang was the first to notice Weiss and subsequently what she was wearing. Tight fitting jeans, a low cut black and white striped long sleeve shirt, brown leather jacket, brown leather riding boots that ended just below her knee's and she had her hair down not in the usual off centre ponytail but naturally flowing down her back. She really is pretty when she lets her guard down Yang thought to herself while looking the thin pale girl up and down.

Weiss noticed Yang checking her out so she made eye contact with the blonde girl and smiled to let her know that she noticed Yang staring. No words were spoken on the subject as they both blushed slightly. Tai didn't notice what was going on as he was fixated on the prosthetic in front of him "just like ruby when she sees a new weapon that perks her interest," Weiss thought as she remembered the first time Ruby saw Myrtenaster. Tai Finally broke his gaze from the dust infused metal arm and looked up just as Two doctors walked in. We are terribly sorry Miss Schnee but you are going to have to leave now only family should be present when discussing the operating procedure.

"It's alright I want her here." Said Yang

The two doctors still insisted she had to leave during the briefing but yang was adamant on having Weiss stay. She needed all the support she could get. Her spirits had just been lifted from spending a morning with her friend and teammate the day before. Yang was not about to let anyone else leave her. Still the doctors insisted, Yang was starting to get a little angry at this point, as her eyes started to turn that familiar shade of red and her hair started to glow. Her father and Weiss managed to calm her down. The doctors finally decided to let Weiss stay since Yang was demanding it.

Tai sat down on a chair beside Yang's bed while the doctors started describing the procedure. Weiss decided to stand, she was on Yang's right side as it would be much easier to comfort the girl with a simple hand on the shoulder as she had done the day prior. As the doctors described the procedure for attaching the new arm Weiss could feel how nervous her friend was. It was going to take multiple operations over the next week. They laid out the procedure in a way that made it seem like they were following instructions on the back of a box of flat pack furniture. The first step was to cut the stub on Yang's right arm back one inch so the mounting point will sit flush as they attach it to her flesh and bone. Then during the same operation, they would surgically graft her ligaments into the mounting point so her body would be working in tandem with the arm. The mounting point was clearly the most invasive procedure they would be performing on Yang. It would have the longest healing times before the next step could be completed. Weiss felt her friend trembling with the fear of the unknown and had noticed how hard she was clutching her father's hand. The Doctors noticed as well and asked the blonde haired girl if she needed a moment before they resumed the briefing. Yang shook her head from side to side. No, she knew that she needed to be strong. Tai, on the other hand, was a swirling ball of emotion on the inside. He was scared for his daughter yet at the same time he was so proud of her, she had begun to recover from her depressed state of mind, and her old personality was starting to surface again. The first operation was to begin soon and the doctors wanted to start wrapping things up here, they started to proceed with the briefing. The second step was to connect Yang directly to the arm with her aura and semblance so they would truly act as one. Yang would have to be awake for this part and it was stressed that it was going to be the most painful procedure as it would be linking her nervous system with the arm. Yang could not have any pain killers for that part as she had to be in a completely unaltered state of mind. The doctors did not go too far in depth describing step two as they would do that closer to the scheduled date. The third step was to attach the arm to the mounting point and go through the testing as well as monitor her for 24 hours it was the least invasive the least painful but it was the longest.

As the Doctors described the procedure Weiss, Yang, and Tai all had different thoughts moving through their minds. The fear of the unknown is a powerful thing and it's effect was not one without consequence.

''What if there is complications, what if the surgeons messed up, what if she died. No don't think about that just focus on the positives, the tests that had been done in vale had deemed Yang a perfect fit for a combat prosthetic, the Doctors are the best on Remnant,'' Tai thought to himself.

''I can't believe how well Yang is holding up, she really is the strongest member of the team. These doctors are talking with almost no emotion and the only form of hesitation I can feel is a little tremble but that's all but gone away now. I hope that when this is all said and done that we could have a duel together.I have so much to learn from her about letting my emotions go and using that to my strength''' Weiss thought.

''This is really happening I can't believe it. I've got my father and the best anchor I could ever have. Weiss is so grounded, when my training begins I definitely have to get that girl to teach me how to keep emotions in check. She knows so much about proper combat, heck she even has her own fighting stance. I'm just like a wild animal when I fight,'' Yang thought as she mildly berated herself.

About an hour later after talking and reassuring Yang she was going to be alright and come out of this better the ever the nurses had come to take Yang to the operating room. Weiss And Tai decided to walk with the nurses and Yang to the operating room. When Yang had gone in and was officially under anaesthetic Weiss and Tai both sat down in the Waiting room. Weiss had grabbed a fashion magazine and started to flip through it, Tai did the same only with an outdoor living magazine. Eventually boredom overcame both of them and Tai began to speak.

''So Weiss you've lived here in the capital all your life,'' asked Tai.

`'Yeah for the most part I have. I did live just outside of the city for two years after father had purchased a house there. We eventually moved back to within the city when Winter had started high school though,'' Weiss said.

`'Did you enjoy living in a more rural area or was it not for you,'' Tai asked trying his best to make small talk.

`'I didn't mind it all that much actually. It was peacefull there less noise, not so busy and it was where I really started to sing.'' Weiss said.

`'Really, Yang never said anything about you singing at Beacon. She used to play in a band when she was younger, she loved hammering on those drums that we got her for her Birthday,'' Tai said, starting to feel a little more comfortable learning more about Weiss.

Weiss was surprised that Yang used to be into music and decided to ask about what kind of music the blonde brawler liked in her youth.''So what kind of music did Yang listen to and what did she like to play on her Drums.''

''Wow you aren't going to believe this but she liked progressive metal. She stopped as she got older but I think that was just cause she wanted to fit in more,'' Tai explained.

Weiss couldn't believe it Yang was a metal head and she played the drums. The Yang she knew liked pop music, fast dubstep, and anything she could dance to. Wow, she had to still like some of that stuff. Weiss liked the music she listened to in her youth, in fact, it is what shaped most of her singing. She had never listened to metal but she figured she would just to get to know Yang better, it would give them some common ground to talk on during her recovery. Tai and yang continued to talk and exchange stories about one another. Eventually Tai's stomach started growling and his hunger got the best of him. Weiss was getting hungry as well and asked if the two of them should go get something to eat together. Tai checked the time another 2 hours until the surgery was complete.

He decided it was best to get something to eat now since he probably would not leave Yangs side after she was out of surgery. The two of them headed out to get some food. Tai's stomach was growling he was more starved than he had thought originally. He wasn't a huge fan of the food they had yesterday so he said that he gets to pick where they go. As he looked through his scroll at the nearby restaurants his eyes lit up when he saw a burger joint. It was his favorite food, he wanted a little taste of home as well Atlas was after all quite a bit different than vale. Tai had ordered the largest burger on their menu a triple with everything except cheese. Weiss sat in awe as Tai devoured the huge greasy behemoth.

"Wow I know where Yang gets her eating habits now," laughed Weiss.

The whole restaurant was looking at him, people don't act like that around here. Tai was embarrassed Weiss had only half ways gotten through her chicken burger and salad. He wiped his face off and got up to go to the washroom. He washed his hands and cleaned up his face some more. While Tai was in the washroom Weiss thought about how good of a father he was. She knew that Yang and Ruby's mother had died when ruby was still just a toddler. Yang and Ruby really were just like him in almost every regard. When Tai left the washroom he paid on the way past the cash register.

Back at the hospital yangs operation was almost done and Weiss and Tai were back in the waiting room. when Yang came out of the operating room she was still under anaesthetic. Tai and Weiss walked beside the nurses as they transferred Yang to the recovery ward. In the recovery, the doctors explained that the operation was a complete success. Yang would, however, have to spend at the very least 3 days in the recovery ward with only a few hours of visiting time a day. Her aura was going to speed up the healing process, she would be ready for the second phase in roughly two weeks. Weiss and Tai spent time with the unconscious Yang hoping she would awake soon. After two hours Yang awoke her vision was fuzzy and she felt quite strange Tai was the first to notice and rush over to his daughters side, Weiss immediately followed. Yang blinked her eyes adjusting to the new setting.

"You're in the recovery ward," said Tai.

"Uhh what," Yang replied groggily. Still recovering from the effects of the anesthesia while up on pain killers.

"The recovery ward. Your operation was a success but you have to stay in here to heal up before going back to your room." Tai explained.

"Where is Weiss," Yang asked.

"I'm right here Yang," said Weiss as she held Yangs hand

Yang was awake now but the drugs were still keeping her in a different state of mind. A doctor and a nurse walked in and greeted their patient. They started to discuss how the operation went and what yang should be feeling in the next few days. They discussed the drugs she was on and the dosage going through her IV. The doctor checked over yang looking for any effects the anesthesia might have had on her. She wasn't under the effect of the anaesthetic anymore and was aware of the feeling in her right arm. She wasn't in pain but she could feel a pulling sensation originating from under the bandages on her arm. She could feel it pulling all the way to up to her armpit and into her chest. The doctors assured her that was a normal sensation and would subside in about five days. After the doctors left Yang started to yawn, the operation took a lot out of her and she was tired. Tai kissed his daughter on the forehead and wished her a good sleep. Weiss gave her a hug and told her to stay strong.

Weiss and Tai left the room to let Yang sleep. Tai decided to go and check into the hotel that had been booked for them for the duration of their stay in Atlas. He left the hospital as Weiss headed home. At the hotel Tai was unpacking his suitcase and settling in it was a basic hotel room with two twin beds, a large dresser, older television set, and a small bathroom. He decided to just go to bed as there was not much to do. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling, he wanted to stay by yang's side, so many people had left his daughter and he felt terrible but Yang needed to rest. When Weiss got home she went her room. She had learnt so much about Yang from her father and wanted to have something to surprise yang tomorrow when she went to visit. She sat at her desk and opened up her laptop. She typed the words Progressive metal into a search engine and looked at the results. She clicked on the first video she saw that seemed to be the most popular. It was a twenty-two-minute song it started slow and began to build quickly. The drums came in along with the guitar, it was fast, heavy, loud, and aggressive but also strangely melodic. The song went through so many tempo changes it almost confused Weiss. It was incredibly technical systematic yet chaotic at the same time. She could not believe yang played this kind of music at one point the drums especially. She thought she would buy yang a drum set if she wanted one when the surgery was complete music is very therapeutic after all. She purchased a few albums on her scroll she wanted to let Yang listen to them later it should definitely bring her hopes up.


End file.
